


Warmth of a smile

by Willofhounds



Category: Wolf's Rain, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Abusive Bakugou Katsuki, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Midoriya Izuku Does Not Have One for All Quirk, Protective Tsukauchi Naomasa, Rare Pairings, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Wolf Inko, Wolf Izuku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:08:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24151084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Willofhounds/pseuds/Willofhounds
Summary: M/M Soulmate Au. After hitting what he thought was a dog Detective Tsukauchi comes to realize it is not in fact a a dog but a wolf that has too many human characteristics. He works to gain the human side's trust only to learn that is the first of many problems.
Relationships: Asui Tsuyu/Uraraka Ochako, Bakugou Katsuki/Kirishima Eijirou, Midoriya Izuku/Tsukauchi Naomasa, Todoroki Shouto/Yaoyorozu Momo
Comments: 36
Kudos: 115





	1. Car part 1

A/N Thanks for your support and love everyone. If you are not wanting spoilers for wolf's rain please hit the back button now. While it's an older anime I would highly recommend it. 

Warnings: Tsukauchi/Izuku. Possible sad ending unsure yet. Soulmates au. Suicidal thoughts, 

Izuku's POV is pulled from the first chapter of destiny. This will be the only pull from that story as their beginnings are the same. Tsukauchi is 27 in this fic. 

Izuku's POV 

He leaned on his hand as he stared out the window. The day was cloudy and it looked as if it was going to rain. Not that it mattered to him. Rain or shine it was all the same. 

Izuku Midoriya was a green-haired with green eyes. To his fellow students, he was a quirkless loser. The first part was correct. He was quirkless. The second on the other hand wasnt correct. 

When he was a small child he found out that he took after his mother's side of the family. He was a child of the moon. 

Most people believed that wolves went extinct 200 years ago around the time when quirks appeared. Like with their assumption of Izuku they were wrong about wolves. Wolves were very much alive just hiding in plain sight as humans so that they could survive. 

When he was four he was diagnosed as quirkless. The next full moon found his first transformation. The change from wolf to human was not given by a quirk. It was from a bloodline that went back thousands of years. 

It was the day that he found out he was one of the last surviving members of the Okami clan. The Okami clan was once of the largest wolf clans that still roamed the world. His mother was the last clan head and as such he was the next heir.

Seven clans in total made up the high council. Without risking their lives a member of the Okami clan could not take their seat. The other clans had gone after them with the intent of destroying them. 

Inko Midoriya had left one night and never came back. Everyone thought she had gone after his father. Izuku knew better. Two nights after she left him the bond that tied him to her snapped. A bond between packs could only be broken with death. At the tender age of five, he learned about death. 

No matter what the police did they couldn't get in contact with his dad. So the Bakugo family took him in so that he wouldn't be taken to an orphanage. The thought didnt please his Bakugo who had always been an only child. 

While they had grown up together Katsuki had become a bully since Izuku never manifested a quirk. He had burn scars all over his chest and arms. His friend might have been young but his quirk was powerful. 

The bullying was only made worse by his silence. Since the night his mother was killed and the bond snapped he had not said a word. 

Aunt Mitsuki had done everything she could think of to get him to speak again. Nothing worked and all she could do was sign him up for sign language courses.

No one understood why he was silent. Or why the happy light in his eyes was slowly going out. Until the day he turned seven and like most children he received a soul mark. 

It was a green wolf laying on the stomach of a black bear. In the background it was almost like a full moon. Only when he met his other half would the background become fully clear. Sometimes he wondered who the man was. If they would accept a wolf. Or if they would reject the boy. 

Like everything else in his life, Katsuki made fun of him. It hurt hearing how his soulmate would never love a quirkless freak like him. Other kids in school took up trying to suicide bait him. 

More than once Izuku had gone silently up to the roof of their school wondering if the fall would kill him. Having the wolf inside him made his body stronger than most humans. Running under the moonlight made his body fat melt away into lean muscle. If he did jump he wanted to make sure that the fall would kill him. Otherwise, he would be watched even more closely and bullied more for failing. 

So he ignored the mockery and suicide baiting. No matter how much it hurt he kept his chin up towards where he knew the moon would be. Like all wolves, he followed his heart towards the moon. 

Sitting in the middle school class though was going to drive him insane though. He was a third-year middle school student. In the summer he was to take the Yuuei entrance exam. 

For the last 200 years, wolves that remained hid away. A captured beast within human skin. During the Yuuei exam, he would use his wolf form to take the place of a quirk. They would think it was simply a transformation quirk. No would be able to tell the difference. 

During the nights of the last two years, he had been practicing agility movements on his own. Due to being a wolf, he was stronger than most. Basic strength was still continued on the human side of things and it carried over. 

At the current rate of his training, he should be able to pass the exam. Even if they look Katsuki gave him translated to go find a place to die. He could say it aloud right now and the teachers wouldn't care. 

Sighing Izuku turned his head so that he could look out the window. It was a dreary day and most likely there wouldn't be a moon tonight either. He would have to be careful not to get hurt today. Without the moon, his injuries would be slower to heal than normal. While still faster than a normal human's healing rate it would leave him miserable for a few days. 

Suddenly the bell rang realizing that he ignored the entire lecture. Oh well, he did his studying on his own anyway. It wasn't like he needed sleep that much anyway. 

As he was packing his bag a scoff drew his attention. Izuku's green eyes lifted to meet the red ones of Katsuki. There was pure hate in the red eyes and it made the younger wonder how he ever expected to be a hero. A hero was supposed to protect the weak. Not beat them into a bloody pulp and give them second-degree burns. 

Izuku turned his head to the side in question. Katsuki grabbed the front of his shirt and snarled, "What do you think you're doing not coming home, Deku? Mom has been worried sick about you. And she keeps sending me to find you."

Not that he was actually looking for him. His secret wouldn't stay a secret for long if Katsuki actually tried in looking for him. Somehow the ash blond-haired boy always seemed to know where he was when he wanted to find him. If he didnt know any better he would say there was a tracker in his clothes. The only reason that he knew differently was that he could scent anything off about his clothes. 

Izuku signed, 'Avoiding you. I can take care of myself.' 

"Like hell, you can Deku! You're just a useless, quirkless fool! You want to be a hero but there's no way that's possible."

Bakugo was right. He was quirkless and without the wolf inside he wouldn't last long in a fight against a villain. Unlike the other quirkless, he had an advantage and he was no longer afraid to use it. 

Staring hard into his ex-friend's eyes be allowed the wolf to come forward slightly. His eyes went from their usual emerald green to the amber of the wolf. Katsuki took a step back in fear something Izuku had never seen in the other's eyes. 

Using that as a distraction he went to leave the room. It seemed the fear had only lasted a brief second. 

A hot hand landed on his shoulder and Izuku could feel burns forming from the use of Katsuki's quirk. 

Damn so much for avoiding injuries today. This was it though. He was tired of being Katsuki's punching bag. It was time to show his ex-friend what he had learned on his own. 

Gripping Katsuki's wrist he twisted his body and used his strength to throw the other. The ash blond-haired boy landed with a pained grunt. Izuku released the wrist and walked off. 

He was tired of being pushed around but he would not become a bully. Katsuki was down and that was the end of it. Even if part of him wanted to do more damage to make sure he never went after Izuku again. It took careful self-control not to give in to that side of himself. He wanted to be a hero, not a villain. 

The moment he made it outside he was running. It wouldn't take long for Katsuki to recover. When he did Izuku didnt want to be anywhere near the school. Not if he wanted to spend tonight running. 

Stashing his backpack away in an abandoned warehouse by the water he began to let his muscles loosen. This was the place he always came to for training and to change in. No one ever came out this way anymore so it was the perfect hiding spot. 

While waiting for dusk he went through his normal stretches. He was grateful that he was born a wolf and that this ability wasnt a quirk. If it was then there would be limitations on his size and skill. As his human body grew so did his wolf side. To make it better it could not be erased by quirk means. 

Izuku had heard of the hero with the erasure quirk. They called him Eraserhead. It was said that he could erase any quirks as long as they weren't manifestations like a tail. Beyond that, he didnt knows much about the hero. Being an underground hero meant there wasnt a lot of information available to the public. 

Instinctively he knew that if being a wolf was a quirk and it was used on him when he was human he would become a wolf. Thankfully it wasnt. 

When dusk fell his inner wolf was itching to be released. Pulling that side forward he shifter. Black fur with green tips sprouted from his body. His face elongated into a muzzle. Teeth became sharp as knives. The world as he saw it was sharper than before. 

Once the change was completed he shook his fur. There wasnt any muscle pain that would keep him from running. 

With that done he took off bursting out the door. The cooler air hit him and it refreshed the young wolf. He began running through the back alleys. 

Tsukauchi's POV 

All-day there had been the feeling that something was going to go wrong. No matter what Naomasa did it didnt go away. To his surprise their day was fairly quiet. One villain attack all day and it was handled by All Might. 

When he finally called it a night the moon was rising. It would be one of the rare nights that he was not on call. His plans for the night involved a bottle of scotch. The week had been rough and all he would like to do was forget. 

That all stopped when he pulled down a street two miles from his house. Something enormous ran out in front of his car. He tried to slam on the breaks so as to not hit it but was too late. A sickening thud sounded within his car. He immediately pulled to the side of the road and put his car in park. 

When he got out he saw what appeared to be a large black dog on the road. It had lacerations across its body and its foreleg was bent at an awkward angle. Naomasa was relieved to find it still breathing as he approached. 

After checking for neck injuries he gathers the dog in his jacket and lifted him into his arms. For being as large as the dog was it was incredibly light. Someone was not feeding it enough. 

Carefully the detective laid the dog out across the back seat of his car. Then he climbed into the front seat and opened his phone. There was a veterinarian not too far from here. If they would accept his call then the dog might just make it. 

A quick phone call and a rushed drive later he was sitting in a veterinary office. The dog had been rushed immediately into surgery. Alex Banks was an American who came to Japan a few years prior. His skills as a veterinarian were highly sought after. Though it was his compassion that made his clients love him. 

Naomasa spent an hour and a half in the waiting room. At one point he must have fallen asleep because the next thing he knew a hand was shaking him. Banks was standing in front of him. His worried green holding questions that he didnt ask. 

Naomasa inquired rubbing at his eyes tiredly, "How is he?"

Banks replied with a cautious look back towards the kennels, "He will live. You should know however I do not think he is a dog. By his body type and sheer size alone I would say he was a wolf. He has a broken right foreleg and thirty stitches in total from the lacerations. The bone has been set and a cast placed. As long as there aren't any reckless movements it should heal fine."

"Wolves have been extinct for centuries. Since before quirks began appearing."

Banks shook his head and said, "I don't have an answer for you on that. I can take a sample of his blood and do a DNA test on it if you like. Something else you should know is that I didnt find a microchip or any kind of identifiers. It seems he is a stray. What do you plan on doing with him?"

Honestly he didnt know. If the animal didnt have anywhere else to go Naomasa would take him in or find him a home. The lack of identifications seemed to suggest he didnt. His main issue with taking on a pet was that he was rarely home. Would it really be responsible for him to subject a dog to that?

Seeing his internal conflict Banks suggested with a sigh, "Take him home with you tonight. I didnt give him a full dose of anesthesia. It should keep him out on your way home. I'll call around in the morning to see if any of my colleagues will take him. If you choose to keep him then great. But at least there will be options rather than being put back out on the streets."

Tsukauchi sighed, "Alright. Let me know if you hear anything?"

"Of course." 

With that he was allowed in the back where the dog was sleeping off the anesthesia. Naomasa asked knowing he wouldn't answer, "How are you holding up buddy? I'm sorry for hitting you with my car."

The dog shifted but stayed asleep. He gently lifted it into arms and headed back towards the front of the building.


	2. Car part 2

"Speaking"  
:Thoughts:   
'Sign'

Izuku's POV 

When he woke up it was slow at first. His brain was foggy and he couldn't remember anything after he left the warehouse. Unfamiliar scents were all around him. At first, he considered that he was at the pound again but the silence was too much for that. Even if it was still night there would be some kind of noise. On top of that, he was laying on something too soft to be a kennel. 

Warily he opened a single eye to survey his surroundings. He was laying on a plain couch and there was a coffee table in front of him. There was a small TV on the other side of the room. The walls that surrounded him were fairly plain and unassuming. A single window was to his left too small for him to get through in either form. It let some light in through it telling the boy it was nearing dawn.

Izuku tried to stand on the couch only for his right front leg to give out. He tried whimpered in pain but no sound came out then glanced down at his leg. It was in a cast and he could not for the life of him remember why. Checking the rest of his body he found about thirty stitches in his side. What the hell had happened to him?

His ears perked up when he heard movement in another room. There was a groan followed swiftly by a curse. Even muffled he could tell the voice belonged to an adult male. Did this person know what he was? Would he be used for experimentation? If they thought he would lie down and take it they were in for a rude awakening. Injured or not he still had a bite that would do damage. 

A door opened from behind him and Izuku shifted so that he could see what he was dealing with. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. A tall man with short, black hair and somewhat-rectangular onyx eyes walked in. He was wearing a white t-shirt and black sweat pants. 

The man's eyes widened with surprise. Then they softened as he walked over Izuku. Ears folded against the side of his head and he lifted his lips revealing his fangs. This human could not be trusted. If he did not heed the warnings he was going to get bit. 

A bemused look crossed the man's face as he said in a low soothing tone, "I guess I wouldn't be too happy with the person who hit me with a car either. I'm glad you're awake though. You gave me quite a scare jumping out in front of my car like that. Don't worry the vet checked you over and we are working on getting you a home."

If he had not learned that humans only looked after themselves he might have trusted that tone. Humans killed his mother and made him an orphan. There was no way he could trust anything this man said. He had to get out of here before the man realized he had a human side. Or the fact that he was a dog at all. 

Being hit by a car though did explain his injuries at least and his amnesia. That would also explain why his leg was in a cast. It must have happened not long after he left the warehouse. 

The man suddenly stepped forward and Izuku wanted to growl. Nothing came out unsurprisingly. He had been unable to make a sound in over a decade. Not since his mother was murdered. 

Izuku gave another lift of his lips to warn the man off. If the man wasnt careful then Izuku would bite him. The man froze in his walk toward the wolf. 

The man said with a gentle look, "I didnt notice last night but you are really skinny. You must have been on the streets for a long time. Or someone has been very unkind to you. Don't worry I'll make sure you have all that you want to eat."

Then surprisingly the man moved around the room keeping a safe distance from him and into the kitchen. Izuku rolled until he fell off the couch. Wincing he stood on three legs keeping the weight off his bad leg. 

Tsukauchi glanced past the counter at him. Worry was clear in his eyes but kept working in the kitchen. Izuku's nose twitched as he could smell the scent of cooking chicken. His stomach rumbled with hunger. It had been almost 24 hours since he last ate. Not that he would trust the man at all with his food. If anything the man would poison it. All he was, was another wolf to be put down. 

The man continued to speak in low soothing tones as Izuku moved around the apartment. He found the main bedroom which held a nightstand with a phone on it charging. The bed was unmade it held the man's coffee and gun powder scent on it. Surprisingly there wasnt any other scents. As far as he could tell the man lived alone. Despite having two bedrooms as he found when he continued the search. 

The second bedroom was pretty much turned into an office. It had two large windows that he could easily fit through in his human form. In the second room was a large desk and after some careful maneuvering, he was able to see the top. Police folders were scattered all across and one was open. Case files his mind supplied. That must mean the man was a detective. Great now he really needed to get out of here before the man realized the truth. 

Black ears twitched back when he heard movement in the kitchen. He turned so that his back was towards the desk and crouched low to the ground. If the detective thought he could sneak up on him he was in for a surprise. 

The man's footsteps were loud and obvious as he approached the room. A dark head stuck itself into the room and tired eyes fell onto his wary form. 

"Come on. Food is ready," he announced. Then he left heading back towards the kitchen. 

For a long moment, Izuku debated with himself on following. He was starving and could not really afford to miss any more meals. A loud rumble of his stomach sounded in agreement with his thoughts. Then again it could be the last thing he ate. 

It was a tough choice but in the end, he decided to stay in the room. He would risk not eating for a few more hours. When the man left he could sneak and try to find food out on the streets. He was not above dumpster diving to survive. 

Izuku chose to stay in the room rather than trust the other. He could not trust the food or the man offering it to him. So he put his back into a corner near the window. 

After a few moments when it became obvious that he wasnt coming out, there was a sigh from the other room. Shuffling could be heard and the door opened slightly further. A bowl was put on the floor for him. Plain white rice with chicken in the bowl. It smelled heavenly to him and he couldn't pick up any scents that didnt belong. 

Warily he brought the bowl over to his corner. It was too dangerous for him to change back to his human form at this point. He would have to make do with eating as he was. His sense of smell being on par with that of a true wolf he would be able to smell if the food was drugged or poisoned. 

Tsukauchi's POV 

It was not surprising to Naomasa when the dog did not follow him into the kitchen. When he woke up that morning it was far later than his normal time. He called into the station saying that he wouldn't be in for a few days. Sansa promised to bring him any paperwork that was important. 

Naomasa knew that his coworkers were relieved he was taking a few days off. In the entire time, he was on the force he had only missed work twice. Both times he was running a high fever and refused to get anyone else ill. With that in mind, he knew Sansa would be over later with a cup of chicken noodle soup. His subordinate didnt care about social niceties. 

Not that he really blamed the other. Sansa didnt have the nicest of childhoods. He had been bullied for the mutation quirk. It was what made the younger want to become a police officer and a damn good one. Out of all his subordinates, Sansa was the one he trusted the most. So, he overlooked some of the social niceties that would be normal to give. 

His thoughts were cut off by his phone ringing. After retrieving it from his bedroom he answered, "Tsukauchi."

"Detective sorry to call you so early but I thought you would want an update," came the voice of the vet. 

There was no way that the other had already found a home for the dog. Right? For some reason, a pang went through him. He couldn't get attached not when he just met the dog. It was a temporary situation anyway. 

Even as he thought that his mind went to the shape the dog was in. It was a miracle that he was even still alive. Naomasa could count its ribs from across the room. It was severely underweight to the point of starvation. 

Banks inquired, "You there?"

Naomasa shook himself from his thoughts as he replied, "Yes I'm here. Did you already find him a home?"

"No. You see when I had him sedated I took blood for a DNA test and had one of my friends rush it. Detective, I can confirm two things and you're not going to like them. First, he is not a dog in that form but a wolf. Second, he is in fact human. You're dealing with someone using their quirks. Most likely a child who is unable or too scared change back."

That explained a lot. The wo... boy had intelligence in his eyes that wasnt common in animals. Full transformation quirks were rare but they did happen. It only made the condition he was in more worrying. How long had he been stuck in that form? Was he being abused at home? Did he even have a home?

So many questions running through his head. Banks interrupted before he could delve too deep, "Listen you should call Recovery Girl. She is a friend of yours right? She would be able to heal his wounds even in his current form. Maybe that will bring out some trust towards you."

"I will. Thanks, Banks."

"Its no issue. You are a good friend and I wish you the best of luck."

With that, the line went dead and Naomasa was already dialing the number for Recovery Girl. She picked up on the first ring, "Detective Tsukauchi I hope you are well?"

Naomasa replied with a small smile, "I am but I have a bit of a situation and was wondering if you could stop by my apartment later."

After a few moments explaining what happened last night and the state of the boy she agreed. She would have to wait until school was out but she would be by in the afternoon. He would feel better when she gave him the okay to continue. This was the first time he had to deal with such a thing himself. Reports and checks but never having to try and help an abused himself. 

He debated with himself for a moment before heading to his office. The bowl that he left in the door was gone. That made him smile slightly at least the boy ate. It wasnt much but it was something. 

The boy in wolf form was on the far side of his office under the window. His back was in the corner and his tail was wrapped around him. The had been practically licked clean. There was a twitch of the wolf's nose and then his head rose. Green eyes stared at him with mistrust. This time though there wasnt any anger with the mistrust. That he would count as a win. 

Naomasa put himself by his desk where he could eye the kid from the corner of his eye but not be in his personal space. There was a clear line to the door if he decided to leave the room. 

Naomasa began in the low soothing tones he had used earlier, "My name is Tsukauchi Naomasa. I know that you are not actually a dog or in this case a wolf. But that you are human. Most likely a child if your size and reluctance to leave that form are any indication."

From the corner of his eyes, he saw the form stiffen and try to shrink in on himself. That wouldn't do. He didnt want the child to fear him. Quite the opposite in fact. 

He continued gently, "You don't have to return back to your human form now if you dont want to. Recovery Girl will be stopping by later to heal your wounds with her quirk. I understand not trusting a stranger. But you should know that I'm a Detective with the Mustafa police department. You are safe here."

The wolf child gave him a look of pure disbelief. That was expected but hopefully, he could wear down the other's defenses and earn some trust. All it would take was some time.


	3. Car part 3

Tsukauchi's POV 

The day passed in agonizing slowness. He spent most of his time at his desk only to rise every four hours to make a small meal. From what he knew those who were starving needed several small meals a day. Instead of the three large meals, they usually would eat. It would allow their stomachs to adjust to eating again. 

Naomasa certainly didnt want the child sick. Hitting him with his car had been enough damage. Still, he hoped that by giving small frequent meals that it would build some fragile trust. So far that worked about as well as giving a cat a bath. He was bitten twice and knocked over once when he got too close. It almost made him wonder if the boy was in fact feral. He might not remember what it meant to be human. 

If that was right things would be infinitely more complicated. There were only a handful of quirks that allowed people to converse with animals. He wasn't even sure if Nezu could understand animals. To be fair though he wasnt even sure what the principal of UA was. 

By the time Chiyo had arrived, he was in the kitchen. The sun was just setting when there was a knock on the door. Naomasa heard shuffling from his office as he moved towards the door. 

Naomasa opened the door to find Chiyo staring at him. She was still in her regular clothes that she wore at UA. The ever-present walking stick made him step back. Everyone knew that she would not hesitate to wack you across your shins if you were in her way. Or if you did something stupid. 

She greeted with a small smile, "Naomasa it's been a while since I have seen you. How have you been?"

He rubbed at his hand as he replied, "Besides being bitten twice today I have been well. Be careful Chiyo he doesn't trust easily." 

She said moving towards where his office, "Just like Toshinori was. Do you think he can revert back to his human state? It would be much easier to heal him if he could."

Naomasa shook his head as he sighed, "No I haven't seen him as a human yet. So far he has given no inclination to revert back to his human form. I've been feeding him like I would a starving dog. Rice and chicken. I don't want to give him something that he's allergic to. Otherwise, he will never trust me again."

Chiyo nodded as she said, "Smart. I'll see if my quirk can work on his wolf form. It's no guarantee but we may find out if he can eat certain items under supervised conditions."

A sigh of relief escaped him. At least there was a chance to try. Otherwise, he would have a lot of research ahead of him. With any luck, it would not be necessary. 

As soon as the thought crossed his mind there was a bang followed by a crash from his office. Internally he winced. Chiyo was stubborn he knew. She had to dealing with Toshinori as she did. That child in wolf form was just as stubborn and didnt let his wounds inhibit his mobility. 

Naomasa went to stand in the doorway and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. On top of his desk was the black wolf with its hackles raised. He had to wonder if the boy was actually a cat. It was just too funny to see. Wanting to be healed or not the boy obviously did not trust Chiyo. All the papers and files that had been on his desk were now scattered all over the floor. The lamp was broken a little further away.

Naomasa tried to reason, "Come on kid. This is Recovery Girl. I told you she would be coming to heal your wounds remember? How about getting down from there before you get hurt anymore."

The flashing of white fangs was all he needed to know. The boy was not coming down without a fight. Not that Naomasa blamed him. He was in a strange place with two people he didnt know. For all the boy knew that could be trying to drug him for experiments.

Chiyo for her part was glaring at the wolf. Suddenly she lunged forward using her cane brought the boy's head down close enough for her to grab. With strength uncommon for someone her age she pulled the wolf from his desk. They both crashed to the ground with a loud thump. 

Immediately she planted her hand at where the shoulder met the neck to keep him from moving away again. There was the clacking of his teeth but other than that no sounds from the boy. Was he mute? That would explain a lot about his behavior. 

Without hesitating, she activated her quirk as she kissed his forehead. The wolf slumped to the floor no longer having the energy to fight them. Once she was sure he wouldn't run off Chiyo began to remove the cast and stitches. 

Silently he moved over the where the boy lay. Exhaustion was clear in his gaze as he weakly lifted his head and barred his fangs. Naomasa sighed as he bent to a knee. 

Running a hand along the greasy fur he murmured, "Easy there. I know you don't like or trust me. It's understandable why you don't. Just know I'm not going to hurt you. Or force you to go back to your human form. Rest I promise I will look after you as you sleep."

The eyes drooped closed and soon his breathing evened out. Exhaustion finally caught up to the kid. Maybe he would sleep for a while. It would do him some good. Sleep would probably do him some good too. Unfortunately, that was not happening any time soon. Not until he had a verdict on how the kid was physically. 

As he continued to scratch and pet the wolf he was Chiyo. She was frowning at where one of the wounds had been. It was completely healed now so it didnt make sense for her to be frowning like that. 

Finally, after several moments she seemed to be satisfied with her work. She stated coldly, "This child and yes the human within this skin is a child. He is very lucky that you found him when you did. Given his size, I'd say he is no more than 13 or 14. If you had not found him when you did Tsukauchi he would have died within a few weeks. That is how bad his condition is right now. It is not from any physical wounds but from malnutrition and starvation. I want you to start him on heavy-duty vitamins and keep giving him rice and chicken for a few weeks."

Only 13? So that was why he was so small. How long had he been on the streets? Did anyone know about his condition? Did they just not care? If so why?

Naomasa inquired gently picking the boy up, "What about his lack of a voice? It's not normal for a wolf to be so silent. Anything you suggest with that?"

"There's nothing physically wrong with his vocal cords," she answered, "If I had to guess there is some psychological trauma that has him selectively mute. Until he returns to his human form we won't know if it extends to being a person. Or if it's just when he is a wolf."

Well, at least his vocal cords weren't damaged. That was something at least. It did make the detective in him wonder what caused the muteness. Unfortunately, he didnt have any answers with this. 

"You might want to put him down before he wakes up," Chiyo commented amusement in her voice, "If his reaction to me was any indication he will bite you. Again."

Naomasa paled at the thought. As skinny as the wolf itself was the jaws were powerful. No serious damage was done so far but waking up in unfamiliar arms might change that. He did not want to explain why he was nursing bite wounds to his coworkers in any event. 

After seeing Chiyo out he placed the boy on his bed. It would be more comfortable than his couch. Besides, it would still be several hours before he finally called it a quits on his own work. Let the kid sleep in his bed for now. It would do him some good. With that, he returned to his office and began to pick up the fallen papers. 

Izuku's POV 

When he came to he found the room he was in was not the one he passed out in. Instead of being on a carpet, he was laid out on a soft bed. The sheets smelled of coffee and gun powder. It was very much the scent of the man who hit him with a car. 

Izuku wasn't stupid he knew that what happened was an accident. That he was in fact lucky the man had a kind enough heart to take him to a vet. Even if it did end up being that the man found out he was human. He had to admit he was further surprised by the man's kindness. Favors had to be called in for Recovery Girl to be called in. She worked for UA as their nurse now. 

What had the man said his name was? Tsu... Tsukauchi that was it. He had to be laying on Tsukauchi's bed. Speaking of Tsukauchi where was he? Shouldn't he be laying in his own bed? 

If the clock by the man's beside was to be believed it was almost 3 am. Even for someone like Izuku that was late. The man should take better care of himself. 

Carefully he hopped off the bed and went into the living room. A light was coming from the office and he wanted to groan. This man must be a workaholic to still be up at this hour. Not wanting to let Tsukauchi stay up to god knows how late he pushed the door open with his paw. 

Tsukauchi was sitting at his desk leaning over a file reading it. Dark bags were already forming under his eyes. Yeah no, there was no way he was letting the man continue like this. Human or not he would not allow Tsukauchi to put himself into an early grave. 

To Izuku's surprise and internal glee the man did not notice his presence until he stole the file. It was the only one on the desk and as small as Izuku was he still could reach it. With the clamped between his teeth, he took off to a corner with it. Dropping it on the floor he proceeded to sit on the file. 

Tsukauchi for a moment could only stare at him stunned. Then he stood and headed towards Izuku something flashing in his eyes. Ears folded back in fear which made the man pause for a moment. Then he took a deep breath to calm himself. 

Izuku watched in fear as Tsukauchi finished closing the distance between them. The man raised his hand and Izuku flinched back in the expectation of being hit. A sharp intake of breath caught his attention. Izuku refused to look at him as he bent down so they were eye level but he stared at the other's socked feet. 

Tsukauchi reached out and with his back in a corner, he couldn't back away. A gentle hand went behind his ear and scratched his ears gently. It made him want to rumble but he couldn't. No sound escaped him but he did lean into the touch. 

Tsukauchi said gently, "I'm sorry you thought I was going to hit you. I promise you that I will never strike you in anger or otherwise. You were just trying to tell me it's getting too late to still be awake. Weren't you?"

Izuku carefully nodded so as not to dislodge the hand. He was disappointed despite himself when the hand was removed. Only to be surprised when Tsukauchi picked him up easily as if he was a puppy. He squirmed uncomfortable with be held like this. 

Surprisingly the man didnt make to retrieve his folder. Instead headed towards the bedroom where he deposited Izuku back on the bed. Tsukauchi then grabbed a pair of shorts and a simple t-shirt to change into before heading to the bathroom. He was only gone for a moment when he returned. 

Tsukauchi laid on the left side of the bed so that there was plenty of space between them. Despite there being only one bed the man was trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Maybe he could stop being such a pain for him. 

Izuku sat for a long time watching the man. He saw when the other's breathing evened out as he fell asleep. Carefully he crawled over and laid his head against Tsukauchi's arm. When the other didn't stir he allowed himself to relax and soon fall back asleep.


	4. Custody part 1

"Speaking"  
:Thoughts:   
'Sign'

Tsukauchi's POV 

A few days had passed since Chiyo had come to look over his house guest. As each day passed the boy grew more comfortable with his presence. It seemed that the kid laying on his arm in the night was the sharing of the bread moment. The kid was still nervous and skittish but at least he would spend more time with Naomasa. 

Mornings in the household were spent with Naomasa cooking. The boy would be watching him from the couch. Green eyes would note every little movement he made. After breakfast, it was the office where the boy would lay by the window. He found it slightly amusing that the child wouldn't let him overwork himself. Once it was time for lunch it was either get up or have his files stolen again. 

In the afternoons they would take short walks around the area. They had to be careful of bystanders as seeing an unleashed large dog would cause panic. The last thing either of them needed was to be explaining to his own officers why he had an unregistered dog. Still, he would never leash the child. Not only was it degrading to the human side. It would restrict his freedom. Even without words, he could tell that would never be forgiven. 

It was on the Monday after he ran the boy over by accident that he got a text from Sansa. The news wasnt surprising but it didnt help him in trying to discern the boy's identity. No children in the city had been reported missing in the last week. None within the last few months fitting the age range or description. They were going off of what he looked like in wolf form. Black or green hair with green eyes aged between 12-15 to give some leeway in Chiyo's assessment. She wasnt known for being wrong but better to be safe than sorry.

As Naomasa scrambled the eggs in the frying pan he could hear the boy shuffling about. Their routine continued as normal with the added step of a shower. The boy yesterday decided to take a quick five-minute shower. It was a sign of trust that he didnt think Naomasa would come after his human side. All the man did was put some of his old clean clothes out by the door. If he wanted to change he could. 

Light footsteps could be heard in the bathroom as the water turned on. Exactly five minutes later it turned right back off again. Definitely used to someone controlling his every move. Once was a coincidence. Twice was a pattern. 

Just as the chicken and rice finished for the boy the door opened. Light hesitant very human-sounding footsteps sounded behind him. Turning what he saw surprised him. 

A boy nothing more than skin and bones stood there. The clothes that Naomasa left for him dwarfed the child's frame. As he thought the boy was green-haired and still with those piercing green eyes from before. As he turned his head to the side he caught sight of a scar. It was faded and only noticeable when the light caught it just right. An x shaped scar on the jaw bone extending just barely below the jaw. 

The green eyes looked up hesitantly at him gaging his reaction to having a child in his kitchen. Naomasa fought to keep his surprise off his face. The last thing he expected of today was to finally see the child's human form. 

The boy signed, 'My name is Izuku Midoriya. Thank you for taking care of me, sir.'

It only took him a moment longer to recover from his shock. He replied with a gentle smile, "Its nice to meet you Izuku Midoriya. My name is Naomasa Tsukauchi. I'm guessing by the use of sign language that you are mute in this form as well," Izuku nodded, "Very well. Let us have breakfast then."

Izuku perked up at the thought of food. It seemed every day he was eating a little more than the previous one. So far it did not show in his weight but maybe it would soon. 

As they were eating a thought occurred to him. He questioned in a carefully neutral tone, "Would you like to come with me to the station today? The chief has been wondering where I am. I think half of the department believes I have been kidnapped."

Izuku turned his head to the side in a curious manner as he signed back, 'What would that entail?

Naomasa smiled as he answered, "You would stay at the police station while I work. Of course, you would have to meet the Chief and my partner. You might even feel a kinship with Tsuragamae and Sansa. They both have animal quirks that manifested physically. Sansa has a cat head and Tsuragamae has a dog head."

There was a flash of an unreadable emotion on the boy's face. He decided not to push the question. If Izuku wanted to stay then he could. If not they would go to the station together. He fought the frown that wanted to mar his face. They would need to go clothes shopping as well. Izuku wouldn't be comfortable in his old clothes. 

As Naomasa was about to eat more of his eggs he spotted another scar. It was just off the boy's right shoulder barely seen with the baggy shirt in the way. A starburst pattern from a burn. Someone with a fire or explosion quirk possibly. He would find out who hurt the boy and they would pay for what they had done. 

When they finished Izuku insisted on helping him clean up. The insistence brought a small smile to his face. Slowly the boy was getting used to his company. With time maybe he could ask questions without risking scaring him off. 

Naomasa went to get changed and ready for work only for Izuku to stop him. Patiently he waited as the boy's nervous posture. 

He signed, 'If the offer is still good I would like to go with you.'

"It is," he replied, "As long as it is what you want. I want you to be comfortable and happy."

Green eyes filled with tears as he gave a sharp nod. Then he ran off into the office. For a moment Naomasa considered going after him. Then he thought better of it. The kid obviously needed his space. 

Naomasa went through his daily routine. When he was finished getting ready he found Izuku waiting by his door. The boy wasnt wearing his extra clothes. He was wearing a white shirt and grey pants. The clothes that he washed the day before.

He asked, "Are you ready to go?"

Izuku nodded. With that, he showed the boy to his car. He sat in the passenger's seat. As they drove to the station he stared out the window with thinly-veiled interest. Most likely it was his first time in a car. At least it didnt seem that he got motion sick. The last time he was in Naomasa's car didnt count. He was way too out of it to really know what he was feeling.

The drive was made in complete silence. Every now and then he would glance over to make sure Izuku was doing fine. For his part, the kid seemed to be enjoying the car ride. 

They stopped just before the station and found a parking spot. It was safer than parking right in front of the station. He had to be extra careful now if he was going to have Izuku stay with him. Leading him to the station the duo was practically ambushed at the door. 

Izuku immediately hid behind him as they were rushed by officers. His subordinates were ridiculous in their questions. No amount of sharp words from him could get them to back off. A trembling hand gripped the back of his trenchcoat in fear. 

Finally a sharp order of, "Back you pack of dogs. Can't you see the detective isn't alone? You're scaring the kid."

That had his men backing off with sheepish looks directed at him. Some of the braver and more foolish tried to catch a glimpse at the cowering child. He would have them on toilet cleaning duty for a month if they kept this up. 

Sansa glared at them and slowly they began to disperse. When they were gone he turned back to Naomasa and said, "Sorry sir. The rumor mill has gone insane since you took off. They were all curious to find out why."

Izuku poked his head out from behind Naomasa. The cat-headed man gave a gentle smile but did not move any closer. 

Sansa greeted, "Hello, I am Officer Sansa Tamakawa. You must be the kid with the transformation quirk. It's good to see someone else looking out for the detective. He is going to work himself into an early grave if he doesn't have someone to look after him."

Naomasa growled playfully, "All right that's enough out of you. Izuku if you have any trouble at all or if you need something if I'm not around ask Sansa. He's got a big mouth but he is as trustworthy as they come. I trust him with my life and yours. Communication shouldn't be a problem either. Sansa is fluent in JSL and ASL."

Green eyes turned to assess the officer silently. Sansa to his credit neither flinched nor backed down. Instead chose to meet the gaze evenly with an assessment of his own. Finally, Izuku nodded his acceptance and Sansa flashed him a grin. He highly doubted that the child trusted the man. In fact, he was positive that Izuku did not. Most likely it was him vouching for the other that garnered acceptance. However, acceptance was not trust. It would take time and with any luck, they would have that time. 

When they arrived in the bullpen Sansa invited Izuku over to his desk. The kid looked over to him for permission then followed Sansa when Naomasa nodded. Once they were settled he went over to the Chief's office. Taking a deep breath to center himself he knocked on the door. 

A sharp voice ordered, "Enter."

Tsuragamae was waiting for him in front of his desk. The man's face was that of a hound dog. Dark eyes clashed against each other. 

He greeted, "Tsukauchi welcome back. How is the child? Has he told you anything yet?"

Naomasa took a deep breath as he said, "He is doing as well as can be expected. As for talking, he seems to be mute. The good news is that he is fluent in sign language. Did you get hud health reports from Recovery Girl?"

His boss growled angrily, "That I did get. Whoever is this boy's parent or guardian needs to be charged with at the very least child neglect. If we can prove it child abuse."

Naomasa grinned viciously as he said, "That I can help with. He signed to me his name. It is Izuku Midoriya. I want to know if you have the emergency protective custody forms? I want him to be put into my custody immediately."

Tsuragamae nodded as he replied, "That I can arrange. Did you say Midoriya? That name sounds extremely familiar."

The more he thought about it the more the fog in his mind of the old memory clear. Shit! No wonder he had almost forgotten. It had been a decade since Inko Midoriya disappeared. She was still classified as a missing persons. If he remembered correctly at the time of her disappearance she had a young son.

The very same son who went to live with their neighbors the Bakugo family. Apparently, they had been family friends for years before Inko's disappearance. Naomasa would have to fact check his memory but it was a start. One that was better than nothing. 

Tsuragamae said, "Go. I'll be here if you need me. Make sure we have the right Midoriya's. I don't want us to go barking up the wrong tree."

"Yes, sir."


	5. Custody part 2

GTsukauchi's POV 

This case was giving him an absolute migraine. They had been right in the fact that Izuku was under the guardianship of Bakugo Mitsuki. She had a mild explosion quirk and her husband had a slightly more power quirk that makes his sweat flammable. Both seemed like pleasant people to him. They didnt show signs of being abusers or lying when he asked about Izuku. 

Naomasa pinched the bridge of his nose as he went over the questions and answers he had done throughout the interview. They truthfully answered every question he had. It was surprising given the nature of his questions. Though they seemed to be slightly offended by then. 

This was brought out mostly by his questions on if they ever struck Izuku. They answered truthfully that they had not. Nor had they ever used their quirks on him. 

This at first made him think that he struck a dead. If he could not prove that they were unfit guardians then Izuku would have to be returned to them. Currently, he only had an emergency custody order over Izuku. It would only last for as long as he was in danger. 

He covered his basics about the greenettes school life. Grades were high but he had next to no social life. Admittedly the boy rarely would stay at their house. Mitsuki tried to keep Izuku in her house but he was able to escape out a window. Or he would wait until the next school day and wouldn't come back. 

This was when he found out about the third Bakugo. A boy the same age as Izuku his name was Katsuki Bakugo. Once hearing about the boy's quirk he understood where the burns had come from. With the revelation of another child living in the home came something else. 

Both of the adult Bakugos believed that Izuku Midoriya was quirkless. They had no idea that he could transform into a wolf. The most shocking part about it was they had the medical records to prove he was quirkless. 

His mind went to forcefully activate a quirk but it didnt fit. They were typically mutation quirks like Sansa or Tsuragamae's. Never had a transformation quirk been forcefully activated before. It left him feeling confused and wanting to find answers more than ever. Unfortunately, answers would not be found with the adults. 

Once had all the information from the mother he left. He did not mention the condition he had found Izuku in. Or about accidentally hitting him with his car. That would be too much too soon and could destroy his chances before he even started. It was not the appropriate time to question Katsuki. He still didnt have any information from Izuku. If he was going to take the boy away from them permanently talking to him would be the next step. It would be difficult given the boy was mute and didnt have much faith in humanity. 

Naomasa knew that if he tried to do this investigation without consulting the child he would lose any goodwill he had earned. There was no doubt Izuku would disappear from his apartment just as he did with the Bakugos. There was no caging a wolf-like that child. They were meant to be free creatures. Caging would only break the spirit that made them unique. 

Asking about the scars was a risk in itself. The boy could close himself off and refuse to answer any questions. If he did that then the investigation could only go so far. Without Izuku coming forward, there wasn't a case. 

When he arrived back in the office he found all the officers in a panic. Part of him wanted to think that it was an escape from prison. Because at this point it would be easier to catch prisoners than finding a child in a wolf's body. Again... the first time had been an accident. One that he had zero intentions of wasting. 

When his officers saw them they all froze like deer in headlights. Even Sansa looked like he was guilty of something. Damn it what happened in the two hours he had been gone? Realistically he knew it had to be in the station. Otherwise, a call would have gone out over the radio. 

Glancing around he frowned. Wait where was Izuku? The green-haired child was not sitting at any of the desks he could see. The detective pinched the bridge of his nose. 

:Please let the kid still be here,: he thought annoyed with his men. 

Naomasa let out a sharp whistle drawing everyone's attention to him. He enquired biting back his annoyance, "Where is Izuku?"

Several of his team looked sheepish as they tried to murmur excuses. They had tried talking to the kid while Sansa was in the bathroom. Someone had said something about quirks that scared him. To make matters worse no one knew exactly what had been said. 

"Sir I'm sorry," apologized Sansa, "I was only gone for a moment. I thought they'd leave him alone after this morning."

As much as he wanted to be angry at the man he couldn't. He shouldn't have left Izuku alone with his men. They were like a pack of wild dogs when it came to gossip. Of course, they would crowd the child that successfully had him take a few days off. 

Naomasa sighed tiredly. He would deal with them later. First, he had to find Izuku and convince him to come back. At least this time he would be there with the boy to protect him. 

To Sansa he said tiredly, "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have been gone so long," glaring at the officers he continued, "All of you should have known better. I will be making sure each of you has sensitivity training and will be completing bathroom duty for the next two months. Now find him!"

That had them scrambling away from him in different directions. Sansa commented lowly, "I have checked most of the building except for the vents and your office personally. I can't get into the vents and I didnt want someone to scare him off."

Naomasa's office was off-limits to everyone but Tsuragamae if he wasnt there. He was proud of his partner for not breaking his cardinal rule. Some would have broken it and thus lost any trust he had in them. 

He ordered coolly, "Check everything again. I'll check my office and the vents."

"Yes sir."

Naomasa checked the vents first and to his annoyance there wasnt anything in them. No signs of Izuku or anyone crawling around in them. He hoped that the kid would still be in the building but it was looking less and less likely. 

When he returned to the bullpen Sansa shook his head. They were not having any luck either. He moved towards his office door and when he put his hand on the knob he found it unlocked. Stiffening he cautiously pushed open the door.

A disappointed sigh escaped him as he entered. His office was as empty as he left it. The only thing that changed was that his spare trenchcoat was not on the hook by the door. At least until he moved to where his desk was. There under his desk was the familiar black and green wolf that had been staying with him. 

Sleepy green eyes blinked up at him as his head raised. There was a thump of the wolf's tail in greeting. It brought a tired smile to his face as he bent to a knee. 

Naomasa chided lightly, "You had us all in a frenzy looking for you. Did they scare you off?"

There only was silence in answer. He turned to put his nose back into the trenchcoat. Naomasa reached out to gently ruffle the fur only to stop midway when there was a flinch. Green eyes stared at him warily. 

Right. He still didnt have much trust from the kid. Then to his surprise, a cold wet nose pressed itself into the heel of his palm. A sign of try between wolf and human. 

Naomasa called out as he scratched Izuku under the chin, "Sansa I found him!"

"Thank god," came a muffled reply. Then there was shuffling and more muffled voices. Now the officers would get back to their actual jobs rather than try to fix a stupid mistake they had made. 

Izuku's POV 

After the events of that morning, he stuck close to Tsukauchi. The detective didnt mention where he went or what he was doing. His self-preservation instinct didnt let him ask about it. It had been years since he trusted an adult but slowly he was beginning to lower his guard around Tsukauchi. That scared him more than he cared to admit. What about this detective was so calming?

Izuku stayed in his wolf form during the day. Tsuragamae brought them food for them rather than Tsukauchi going out for food. He was careful to get food that wouldn't hurt his stomach. A warm full belly allowed him to sleep the rest of the day under Tsukauchi's desk. 

That evening he left with Tsukauchi in the man's car. A short car ride later found them back at the man's apartment. Izuku's nose twitched as they approached the door. An unfamiliar scent had gone through the doorway. If his nose was to be believed then it had been within the last hour. 

Unable to growl or bark he was unable to warn Tsukauchi to the intruder. Trying to push the detective away from his door only got him a strange look. So when Tsukauchi opened the door Izuku rushed inside. 

There wasnt any hesitation as he found a blond-haired man. Pouncing he completely knocked over the intruder. Baring his fangs Izuku9 made his intentions clear. Move and he would tear out your throat. 

The man cried out to Tsukauchi who made a strange sound in the back of his throat, "Come get your dog!"

Come get him?! He was his own person and the detective certainly did not own him. Izuku should tear the intruder's throat out for even suggesting such a thing. 

Tsukauchi replied with an amused voice, "It doesn't bite, Yagi."

The one called Yagi cried out, "YES IT DO! Nao please help!"

A warm hand settled on his back causing Izuku to look back at Tsukauchi blinking owlishly at the man. Quietly Tsukauchi chided, "I think you have scared Yagi enough for one day, Izuku. He should have known better than to show up unannounced but I promise he's a friend."

Izuku watched the detective for a moment before turning back to the blond. One more bare of his teeth and he released the man. If Tsukauchi trusted him then fine Izuku wouldn't tear his throat out. He would however be keeping a close eye on him.


	6. Custody part 3

Tsukauchi's POV 

He watched in amusement as Izuku prowled around the apartment. He had been circling the couch for the better part of half an hour now. Yagi was understandably nervous about the wolf that had pounced on him. Naomasa knew he should have called his friend to warn him but that reaction was priceless. It would be a memory he cherish forever. 

Naomasa said as he made them tea, "Not that I'm not happy to see you Yagi but I have to know. What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in Tokyo until the end of the month."

Yagi looked sheepish as he replied, "The case I was working on finished earlier than expected. So I thought I would drop by for a visit. I didnt expect to be run over by your new pet."

Naomasa saw the way Izuku's lips curled in a silent snarl. He had to nip this in the bud before Yagi said something he couldnt take back. Or something that couldnt be excused due to ignorance. His friend was a kind man but he was ignorant of a lot of things. 

He said trying to avoid the confrontation that was brewing, "Yagi he is not a pet. In fact he is human who is more comfortable in this form. His name is Izuku Midoriya. To keep from getting bit, use his name."

Izuku glanced back at him. His bright green eyes carefully considering him. Naomasa tried to give him a reassuring smile. All he got was a head turn in response. 

Naomasa continued after a moment, "Yagi just try and be cordial with him. Izuku unless he hurts you dont bite him."

There was a silent huff from the boy before he left the room. Well that was one way to get Izuku to leave. He wondered if he would be angry with Naomasa later. Hopefully not. 

Yagi asked watching Izuku leave, "How did you meet him? Why didnt you tell me you adopted a child?"

"I havent adopted him," answered Naomasa honestly, "Right now I have emergency custody over him. Tsuragamae and Sansa are helping me build a case."

"An abuse case?"

"Not by the foster parents but their kid is hurting him," admitted Naomasa, "Its more than just a childhood rivalry. Izuku has a lot of scars and I'm sure he is hiding more than the few I've seen."

Yagi whispered, "Poor child. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

As much as he would like his friend's help there wasnt much to be done right now. If it went to court then he would need character witnesses. He and Yagi had been friends for years almost as soon as he joined the force as a detective. Most people didnt know about their friendship. If it ever got out to the news outlets he knew he would hounded for information. For now they had things under control. He just needed time to earn Izuku's trust. 

At the kid's age who he wanted to stay with would have a lot of weight in court. So if Izuku wanted to stay with him and he could prove it wasn't at his current residence then he most likely would get custody. Custody was the goal. Adoption that would come if Izuku wanted it. He wouldn't force the issue however. 

For now he shook his head and replied, "At the moment there is nothing you can do, Yagi. If it goes to court I will probably need you as a character witness."

Yagi said with a nod, "I can do that for you. Do you have any plans for tonight?"

Naomasa shook his head as he said, "Not really. I was hoping to let Izuku relax after spending the day at the station."

With that said they fell into a comfortable conversation. Naomasa worked on dinner for the three of them. For Izuku it would be more chicken and rice. Easy on his stomach and would help him gain weight. For him and Yagi it would be spaghetti and beef. 

Unsurprisingly Izuku did not come out of Naomasa's room. Instead he left the bowl of chicken and rice at the door. While he and Yagi were eating Izuku somehow had taken the ble without them noticing. It was empty when he went go check on the boy later. 

When he poked his head into the room Izuku was asleep on the bed. He was curled up with his tail right up against his nose. Naomasa decided against distrubing him and headed back for his dinner with Yagi. 

The two men stayed up well into the evening talking about different things. It wasnt until almost 2 am that Naomasa crawled into bed. As he settled a warm weiv he curled into his side. He curled an arm around the boy swearing that he would get a room set up for him tomorrow. His office was pretty much cleaned up to the point where it wouldnt be too difficult to put a bed in there.

The next morning he woke up to the scents of breakfast. It was still warm from where Izuku had laid down so he couldnt have been gone for long. Stretching he made his way into the living room and then the kitchen. 

Izuku stood in front of the stove with a look of concentration on his face. Eggs were scrambled in the pan and it didnt smell as if they were burning. Izuku turned to face him a hand raised in greeting. Then green eyes found where his shirt had been pulled down from his shoulder. 

Naomasa saw that his soulmark was revealed. It was a green wolf laying on the stomach of a black bear. In the background it was almost like a starry sky. The mark had appeared right above his heart. 

Why was he... oh there was only one wolf he had come across much less a green one. So this child was his soulmate. It wouldnt be the most ridiculous age difference he had ever heard of. Naomasa was 27 years old making him 13 years old than Izuku. 

As long as it was consensual then there wasnt a problem in the eyes of the law. He had no intentions of forcing any issues. Soulmates werent meant to start a romantic relationship right away. . The boy was still very much a child and he just wanted to look after him. There wasn't any other feelings there. 

Naomasa asked wanting to be sure, "Do you have the same mark?"

Izuku raised a shaking hand to pull down his shirt collar. Sure enough the boy had the exact same mark over his shoulder. His breath caught in his throat at the sight. 

Slowly he moved closer to the child and pulled him into a hug. Naomasa said in a low whisper, "I honestly never thought I would meet my soulmate. Nothing will happen for awhile. You're too young and we dont know anything about each other. This will however will make it easier for me to get permanent custody of you."

Izuku pushed back slightly so that he could sign, 'Permanent custody? I thought you were just allowing me to heal. Then you would return me to the Bakugo's.'

"No! You're not going back to them," Naomasa barked. 

Immediately Naomasa regretted the bark as Izuku flinched away from him. Right no yelling around the child. Even if he was surprised he had to keep calm. 

He whispered quietly, "I'm sorry for yelling. I was just surprised by the statement. You are not going back to the Bakugo's. I know what the youngest has done to you. You're not safe there."

Izuku signed, 'I can stay with them. No one else really cares about what happens to me. They dont know anything about my wolf side.'

Naomasa denied, "No you're not safe there. I do care about what happens to you. I want you to be happy and healthy. Which is why after we eat our breakfast we will be going to the store for clothes and stuff for your room."

'My room?'

Naomasa smiled softly as he replied, "The office. It was originally my office but I dont mind turning it back into a bedroom. My extra work can be done at the table."

'Are you sure?'

"Yes, kiddo," he said. 

An hour later they were fed and ready to go. Izuku was wearing one of his sweatshirts with the pants he wore to sleep. They were baggy on him but at least he wouldn't have to worry about tripping on the pants. Naomasa changed into a black long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans and his trenchcoat. Given the time of year, no one would think twice about it. 

That reminded him, Izuku was going to need a jacket. The fur of his wolf form would keep him warm but his human self needed warmth. So he would have to find a jacket. 

They took a train to the shopping district. The first place he took Izuku was a mattress store. At first, his young soulmate tried to choose the cheapest mattress. It wasnt until Naomasa moved towards the more expensive mattresses did he accept that cheap wasnt the way he would go. 

They ended up compromising on a mid-range priced mattress. It was soft and made out of memory foam. They set it up that it would be delivered to his apartment tomorrow. 

From there they went to a clothes shop. Compromises once more had to be made. Izuku seemed to favor the color black more than anything else. They picked out long and short-sleeved shirts that were in black, grey, and grey. The color scheme reminded him of Eraserhead. If he didn't know better he would say the kid spent time with the Pro Hero. From there they moved towards the jackets. 

He watched his soulmate from the corner of his eye. The boy was standing by a rack of jackets. The jackets themselves had bunny ears as hoods. If he remembered correctly they were part of a new anime's merchandise. Izuku seemed to be favoring a one green jacket. Until he saw the price tag and immediately moved to another rack. 

Naomasa moved to check the price for himself. It was a tad expensive more than he would normally pay for a jacket but the quality was good. So he stuck it under the shirts they had chosen. He would give it to Izuku as a present. The kid didnt seem like he ever had one before. So this would be a start. 

He smiled faintly when he saw Izuku come back with a warm looking black coat. It was a few sizes too big but Naomasa would make sure he grew into it. While he was buying the shirts and jackets he sent Izuku along to find jeans. It would take slightly longer than the previous two since he wasnt sure what size the boy was. 

Or so he thought. By the time Naomasa had made his way to the jeans Izuku already had four pairs. He cautiously held out each pair for inspection. He barely withheld a sigh as he checked them and their prices. They were all at appropriate prices and of good quality. An approving smile crossed his face. It was tentatively returned by the kid. 

Their second to last stop was the toy store. It had taken quite a bit of convincing for Naomasa to get the boy to agree. He insisted that he wasn't a child. He denied that and reminded the boy of his age. That he wanted to make the boy's life better. So with some grumbling the boy had entered the store. 

For his part, Naomasa watched him carefully as Izuku moved about the store. He was careful to avoid the children running about. There was no small amount of annoyance in his body language. Too many children and unfamiliar scents. Maybe this wasnt the greatest idea. For now he could only watch and wait.

As he walked through the back aisles he found something of interest. A pair of golden goggles made out of plastic. They were just like the ones that Eraserhe wore. Eraserhead wasn't a well-known hero and his merchandise was rare. To find it here was a surprise but a welcome one. He picked it up with slight trepidation. Would Aizawa really allow him to have it? It would be obvious who he was favored by if he did. 

"Did you find anything?" Queried Naomasa startling the boy. 

Turning he found Naomasa standing there. One hand in his pocket and a relaxed stance that made Izuku mirror. Onyx eyes widened with surprise at the sight of the goggles. 

Naomasa questioned, "You know Eraserhead?'

Izuku signed, 'Hes my favorite hero. Though he isnt well known to the public he basically fights quirkless. It's a symbol of hope for people like me.'

The bookstore was their last stop and had far fewer people and was easier on his senses. Though his stomach still rolled whenever he moved too fast. Reading was one of his favorite pastimes. The library is a safe haven when he hiding from Bakugo. While smart the boy wasnt one to visit the library willingly. 

Izuku chose a few advanced mathematics books, two fantasy, and a book on English. They would keep him occupied for a time. He was always learning about something new when he had the time. Fantasy and comic books were his hidden pleasure. They captivated his interest in ways that nothing else could. 

Naomasa was happy the kid had such a love for books. Their age was that of technology. Not many people liked books in this way. He was looking forward to learning about this child.

**Author's Note:**

> Discord server if you want to hang out: https://discord.gg/R2Esj9w


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